Folding lunch-box



(N0 Model.)

J. M PADYEN. FOLDING LUNCH BOX.

" No. 577,198. Patented Feb. 16, 1897.

'per lid a, but is shorter in length and breadth UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES MOFADYEN, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

FOLDING LUNCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,198, dated February 16, 1897.

Application filed June 30, 1896.

.To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs McFAnYEN, a subject of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, (but having legally declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States,) and a resident of the city of Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Lunch and other Boxes, of which the following is a description.

The object of my invention is to produce a lunch-box that may be folded together into a small compass after the contents have been removed, so that it may be convenientlycarried in the pocket of a coat or other garment.

Other advantages appertain to this form of construction or device, inasmuch as the parts being separate they may be. easily renewed when worn and be more readily and conveniently cleaned after use. I may state that the several parts may be made of difierent materials from each other, as the covers may be made of stamped metal, leatherite, or compressed paper and the sides and ends of the body or folding portion of leather, compressed paper, leatherite, metal, or rubber combined for the purposes to be described hereinafter. I accomplish these purposes by the device described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-' Figure l is a perspective view of a box of my improved construction as it would appear when filled and closed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the central or body part, the ends being partly folded. Fig. 3 is a side view, part sectional, showing box when folded and closed for the pocket.

Similar letters have reference to similar parts.

In Fig. 1, a represents a top lid or cover having the usual surrounding lips to receive and engage the upper part of the body I), as shown in Fig. 3.

c is the bottom lid or cover, similar to the upand which receives the lower end of the body I). The body I) or box is formed slightly tapering vertically, the upper edges being slightly longer and wider than those of the lower, so as to enable the lower lid 0 to fit into the upper lid a when the box is closed,

ner.

Serial No. 59 7,661. (No model.)

as in Fig. 3. The ends of the body I) b are so constructed that they may be folded together, the corners d, as well as the center at, being flexible, and may be reinforced for durability by the rubber or leather strips (1*, as shown in Fig. 2. Canvas or other fabric may be used for this purpose also. The ends b b may be formed of separate pieces joined together by the flexible strips 01 or reinforced by the strip, in which case the end would be creased vertically in the center and bend at that point, which would also apply to the corner-joints, the strips being cemented or secured to the body in a suitable manner. A strap loop e is secured at each end of the body I) on the folding parts I) b by the rivets e, through which the securing-strap g is drawn when the box is filled, as in Fig. l. The strap g is provided with a handle h, riveted to it by rivets h, and a buckle f, provided with adjusting-holes in the usual manner, as in Fig. 1.

In use the bodyb is extended and its lower edges inserted into the lid 0 when the articles are packed within the interior space and the top cover a fitted upon the upper edges. The strap 9 is then passed through the end loops 6 and the buckle f secured in the usual man- When the contents are removed and it is desired to be made portable, the flexible joints of the body I) are folded, as shown in Fig. 2, and the flattened body-piece laid into the cavity of the lower lid 0, into which it fits. The upper lid or cover a is then placed over the rim of the lid 0, and the strap 9V is then passed around sidewise twice and secured by the buckle f, as shown in Fig. 3.

Having described the construction and use of my newlyimproved lunch-box, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a folding lunch-box, an open central loose body having its sides and ends tapering upward made of any flexible, tough and durable material, the ends centrally and vertically creased so as to fold inward, each end being provided with a strap-loop, loose top and bottom covers engaging and partly inclosing said central body and a securingstrap, substantially as specified.

2. In a folding lunch-box, an open central body tapering upward on sides and ends, the corners being flexible, and a vertical crease centrally located in each end to form a bending joint, said corners and central end bending joints being reinforced by a flexible strip on their inner sides, strap-loops secured to each end, a loose top and bottom cover, the said top cover being larger than the bottom cover in length and width, the bottom lid or cover being of such a size that the central 1 body when folded may lie Within its tray incombination with a strap and securing-buckle I o substantially as specified.

JAMEsrmFAnYEN.

WVitnesses:

JOHN H. WHITE, EDWARD R. WVEIss. 

